Daniel C. Peterson's Blog, page 858

“U.S. religious groups disagree on five key moral issues”

    Do Mormons simply mirror the attitudes of their socio-economic peers in the United States?   There are certainly grounds for concern — there always are — that we’re not only in the world but too much of the world.  That’s a legitimate worry   Some recent numbers from the Gallup organization, however, plainly [Read More...]

“ISIS kills dozens of its own in hunt for spies”

    One of the best things that can be done in a war is to foment mutual mistrust within the ranks of an enemy.  There is always the real risk of losing genuine informants, of course, but to have members of the enemy force turn on one another will destroy morale, hinder communications, deplete [Read More...]

Seventy-Two Years Ago, Today

    Some things should never be forgotten.   This day should never be forgotten, nor completely passed over without appropriate thought.   Here’s a short document from a very different time — you may listen to his actual voice here — when an American president could speak in a very different voice than would [Read More...]

My ancestors!

    And many of you are probably descended from them, too.  (So don’t feel too superior.)   http://www.realclearscience.com/artic...    

“Evaluating Three Arguments against Joseph Smith’s First Vision”

    A 2012 article from the second volume of Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture that you might have missed: Evaluating Three Arguments Against Joseph Smith’s First Vision    

“The Mormon Jesus: Just how different is he than the traditional Christ?”

    A new book is out on the topic of “the Mormon Jesus”:   http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith...    

BOM Alma 19

    Today’s reading, Alma 19, continues with the dramatic story of Ammon’s missionary labors at a Lamanite royal court.   I’m in rather a hurry at the moment, and will be until later tonight.  So I’m just going to highlight one little phrase that catches my attention:   King Lamoni goes into a kind [Read More...]

“Israeli claims discovery of King David’s citadel”

    An interesting (though, unsurprisingly, disputed) archaeological claim that, if true, would lend additional credibility to the Old Testament story of King David:   http://www.realclearscience.com/artic...    

“How we unravelled Maya secrets from the air”

    http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160...   Agreeing with me on Book of Mormon geography isn’t necessary for your salvation — although, of course, as a general principle it’s never wise or prudent to disagree with my opinions on any subject — but I lean strongly toward an ancient Mesoamerican setting for the story of the Nephites, Lamanites, [Read More...]

Children tell Bible stories

    Some of you might really, really enjoy these brief Mormon Channel videos, in which (accompanied by very nice recreations of the ancient narratives themselves) children recount famous biblical stories:   https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/c...